The vaquita is a small dolphin that is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world
Mexico faces sanctions from international wildlife organization CITES for not doing enough to protect the vaquita, a small dolphin that is one of the world's most endangered marine mammals.
The sanctions have not been announced, but they could make it difficult for Mexico to export some regulated animal and plant products, such as crocodile skin, snakeskin, orchids and cacti. Commercial seafood such as shrimp will not be affected, but the ruling sets a precedent and some groups are pushing for a ban on seafood imports.
Sarah Uhlemann, director of international programs at the Center for Biological Diversity, said: "While no one likes financially painful sanctions, all previous attempts to prompt Mexico to save vaquitas have failed. We hope that these strong measures will awaken the Mexican Government. Studies estimate that there may be only eight vaquitas left in the Gulf of California, which is the only place where they exist, and that they are often entangled in illegal gill nets and drown.
CITES ruled that Mexico's conservation program for vaquita was inadequate, Mexico's foreign relations ministry said in a statement. The department called the ruling "an unequal treatment of our country because it does not take into account the many exhaustive actions that have been taken." ”
Mexico recently submitted a revised conservation plan to CITES that lists the establishment of "alternative fishing techniques" for gill net fishing as one of its top priorities. But in reality, the government's conservation efforts often face strong opposition from local fishermen.
The government of President Andrés Manuel López largely refused to spend money compensating fishermen who stayed away from the vaquita sanctuary and demanded an end to the use of gill nets. The nets are illegally caught for totoaba, a fish whose swim bladder is a delicacy in China and worth thousands of dollars per pound.
The government also found concrete blocks with hooks and illegal fishing nets laid to catch vaquitas in the Sea of Cortez. Sea Shepherd, an activist group that patrols with the Mexican Navy to stop fishermen and help destroy gillnets, said the efforts have been successful in reducing gillnet fishing. But there are too few vaquitas left, which may not be enough.
In addition, experts say the Mexican government has not spent the necessary funds to train and compensate fishermen for the use of alternative fishing techniques, such as nets or lines that do not catch vaquitas. Lorenzo Rojas, a marine biologist at the International Commission for the Rescue of Vaquitas, said there was "no other fishing gear to choose from." "Fisheries authorities are notable for their absence," leaving efforts to change practices to civil society and fishermen.
CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed by 184 countries; It regulates the trade and protection of protected species.